The Phantom's Revenge
by Ashtree of Jessenia
Summary: Will the Phantom get his final revenge? When confronted, who will Christine choose? Please read and review.
1. An Afternoon Ride

The Phantom's Revenge 

By: Ashtree of Jessenia 

Forward 

Darkness encaved Eric as he slowly stole his way through the forgotten tunnel under the Opera Populaire. He was devastated by the blow that Christine had just delivered to him. He was not only heartbroken but he was furious. He had given her everything; his heart, passion, and most importantly his music.

Eric, also known as "The Phantom of the Opera", was mostly furious at Raoul for stealing the woman he loved most in the whole world. The Phantom knew he would have his revenge and take Christine to where she rightfully belonged. He would take her to live in the estate that he was going to buy with all the money he had earned from his allowance as the "Opera Ghost." Eric was determined to buy an estate for Christine and bring her there as his wife and soul mate forever; that would be his final revenge.

Chapter 1 "An Afternoon Ride" 

As Christine rode her jet black mare, her mind was not on the handsome young man riding beside her, but it was on the mysterious and passionate man she had known as her brilliant tutor. Christine was arguing in her mind whether she made the right decision in choosing to go with Raoul. _It's not that I don't love Raoul, however he does not awaken the passion in me that the Phantom does. On the other hand I barely know him, I don't even know his name and he is considered a criminal, a murderer no less and…_ Those thoughts were slammed shut when Raoul slowed down to hold her hand. She smiled back at Raoul as he kissed her hand and basked in the moment of pure bliss. She forgot all of her earlier thoughts as she lost herself in his sparkling sea-blue eyes.

_What is she thinking? _Raoul wondered as he rode side by side with Christine. She had an oddly distressed look about her and tried to appear calm as her brow was furrowing even greater on her smooth, pale forehead. Raoul did not want Christine to know that he knew something was troubling her, so he appeared calm and rode with great ease through the forest. All the while Raoul was riding; he was hoping and praying that Christine was not second guessing her decision to be with him. But what Raoul hoped even more was that Christine was not thinking about the Phantom. Finally Raoul could take it no longer and forced Christine out of her thoughts by grabbing her hand and kissing it softly.


	2. Dark Shadow

Chapter 2 "Dark Shadow" 

Eric followed Christine and Raoul at a distance as they went on their afternoon ride through the forest. Eric had been able to track Christine down by threatening Raoul's lowly stable boy into telling him how to get to Raoul's family estate. Christine was invited to stay at the family estate while the Opera Populaire was being repaired from the damage of the fire. As Eric was walking, he devised a plan to somehow get rid of Raoul so he could get Christine back. Eric would stop at nothing to get his revenge and get back the woman he so desperately loved.

As Christine and Raoul rode home, she had the strangest feeling that she was being followed. She couldn't put her finger on why because every time she looked back, there was no one there. However, as the ride continued, she felt a dark shadow haunting her mind and heart, a shadow that would not go away, no matter how hard she tried to think about something else. And then, finally, she saw out of the corner of her mind, a black cloak billow and swish in the breeze as a dark figure moved positions.


	3. Christine's Decision

Chapter 3: Christine's Decision 

"Christine! Christine!" Was she hearing right? Was someone calling her in the middle of the night? Oddly enough, that voice reminded her of something. She couldn't put her finger on it, but it definitely sounded familiar. As she hurried out of bed to see who it was, she found herself very anxious. Even though Christine would never admit it, she was hoping that it was the Phantom because she was still unsure as to whether she wanted to be with Raoul or not. Christine ran down the stairs and stopped short as the familiarity of the figure standing in the front hall frightened her. As the figure, clothed in black suit with a black cloak, turned, Christine stopped breathing altogether and stood dumbfounded on the stairs, staring at the handsome figure of the Phantom.

Eric had never been so nervous in his life as he stood at the bottom of the stairs and waited for Christine. Then, as he slowly turned around to face her, he found himself awestruck at the sheer beauty of Christine's silhouette in the moonlight. "Hello Christine," said Eric as he slowly walked up the remainder of the stairs to meet her. "Hello," she said with a look of sheer amazement in her eyes and every line of her body. Oh, how he wanted to grab and passionately kiss her right then and there. He managed to contain himself long enough to say, "I miss you. I need you to come away and live with me. I'm nothing without you and I need you in my life." There, he had finally done it, he had bared his soul to the woman he loved. Waiting for her response was the longest minute of his life. He was terrified that Christine would reject him and force him to live in misery for the rest of his life. Christine paused to consider her decision, then finally said, "I…" "Christine! No!"


	4. The Confrontation

Chapter 4: The Confrontation 

Raoul ran down the stairs in a fury at his discovery of Christine and the Phantom on the stairs of his estate. The nerve of the Phantom coming to his house, his territory to try and win Christine back. He had to get rid of the Phantom, if it was the last thing he did! Raoul drew his sword and with a look of sheer angst, waited for the Phantom to accept the challenge Raoul had proposed. With one swift and smooth movement, the Phantom drew his sword and accepted Raoul's proposal. Eric was determined to beat Raoul if it was the last thing he did.

Christine was mortified as she watched the two men that loved her prepare to fight. The two men loved her in different ways; Raoul loved her with a kind and compassionate love that was eternal. The Phantom, however, loved her with love that was filled with passion and heat; a love that lived in the moment. Christine stood looking helplessly angry at both men for making her heart's decisions with their swords.

Eric and Raoul stood looking intently at each other, both waiting for the other to make the first move. The tension in the room was finally cut with a knife as Raoul made the first move. Eric and Raoul dueled back and forth with Christine watching helplessly, however desperately wanting to stop this terrible nightmare. Eventually as Eric and Raoul continued to fight, Raoul pinned Eric to the ground with a sword up against his throat. Just as Raoul was about to finish Eric off, Christine ran to them and screamed "No!"


	5. Nightmare Come True

Chapter 5 "Nightmare Come True"

Christine woke up breathless and bewildered as she tried to figure out what had just happened. As she realized what had just happened was a dream, a very real dream, but a dream nonetheless, she was startled to hear an excess of noise coming from the main hall downstairs. Christine jumped out of bed and ran to see what the commotion was. Christine reached the top of the main stairs and stood flabbergasted to see her dream being played out for real. She gasped at the display she was seeing and both men turned to stare at her. The Phantom stood mesmerized by her beauty. Raoul, however, saw this as an opportunity to get the upper hand. Just as Raoul raised his sword to offer the Phantom a fatal blow, Christine shouted "No!" and ran down the stairs to stand between them. Christine stood between Eric and Raoul while they stood tensely, with their swords still drawn; just waiting for the other to get Christine out of the way so they could continue their deadly competition.

Christine knew this decision would be the hardest decision she would ever have to make, however she was being painfully forced to decide. Christine stood between the two men and slowly, painfully contemplated the decision that would break someone's heart. For a minute, Christine contemplated choosing neither of them because she was very angry that they were forcing her to make a decision of the heart. She was also very angry because she was not a prize to be won.

However, Christine slowly turned and kissed Raoul as the Phantom sank into a heap on the shiny marble floors of the great hall. Raoul and Christine turned to go while the Phantom began to weep bitter tears of a broken heart. As they left, Christine turned to look back at the Phantom as he slowly lifted his head and softly sang;

"Say you want me with you

here beside you,

Say you'll keep me from

my solitude…"

As the Phantom continued to sing, Christine knew in her heart that she was just as much in love with the Phantom as he was with her. Christine knew in her head that she should be with Raoul, but her heart won the battle as she kissed Raoul on the cheek and ran over to the Phantom. They knelt together on the floor and sang;

"Anywhere you go let me go too,

that's all I ask of you."


	6. Happiness

Chapter 6 "Happiness"

Raoul stood watching with a heavy heat and a sad face at Christine and the Phantom pledging their love for one another. Raoul was upset at Christine for lying to him about her feelings, but, as a gentleman, he knew it was best to bow out gracefully.

Raoul turned to leave as Christine and the Phantom kissed, but stopped when he felt a light tap on his shoulder. As Raoul turned around, he saw Christine take off her ring as she whispered goodbye. Christine was grateful to Raoul for the love he showed her and hoped he knew she never meant to hurt him. As she turned to go, Raoul took her hand and kissed it softly and gave her a soft smile which she returned. Christine slowly took a deep breath and walked towards the Phantom and new life filled with love.


	7. Afterward

Afterward 

Christine basked in the sun on the lawn of her new estate. Eric came up behind her and, as he took her hand in his own, he smiled at her. Christine returned the smile and at that moment she knew that even though they had been through a lot to get them to this point, this relationship would work.

Christine knew that years later she would look back on her decision and know that without a doubt in her mind, that she had made the right decision, a decision that had changed her life forever.

THE END!

Author's Note 

I just wanted to take this opportunity to thank everyone who read this story and to everyone who will read it. A very special thank you goes to everyone that reviewed this story. I appreciate the input and I hope that it will keep on coming. Please tell people about this story so I can get the input I need to perhaps improve it or write another story.

THANK YOU!


End file.
